Science Fiction Trivia

[Disembodied]

Gorf it is! One of the first arcade games to talk, I believe … Malacandra wins the gripper.

[Malacandra]

In that case let's continue the 1980s arcade game theme:

What two foes are missing from the following line-up, what space-themed game were they in, and what game element is connected with one from Elite (not usually Oolite...)?

Lander, Baiter, Bomber, Pod

[CaptSolo]

Missing foes: Mutant and Swarmer.
Game: Defender.
Elite game element: It had a scanner?

[Malacandra]

Missing foes: Mutant and Swarmer.
Game: Defender.
Elite game element: It had a scanner?

Two out of three, but as to the game element, Defender shared something with Elite that (core) Oolite doesn't have... or, as I understand it, doesn't have any more. The name's different but the effect is the same.

[CaptSolo]

Missing foes: Mutant and Swarmer.
Game: Defender.
Elite game element: It had a scanner?

Two out of three, but as to the game element, Defender shared something with Elite that (core) Oolite doesn't have... or, as I understand it, doesn't have any more. The name's different but the effect is the same.

Smart Bomb?

[Malacandra]

Missing foes: Mutant and Swarmer.
Game: Defender.
Elite game element: It had a scanner?

Two out of three, but as to the game element, Defender shared something with Elite that (core) Oolite doesn't have... or, as I understand it, doesn't have any more. The name's different but the effect is the same.

Smart Bomb?

Yup. Energy Bomb in Elite but the same effect. Over to you!

[CaptSolo]

This series of novels chronicles the main characters ascent to authoritarian power on one of the planets in our solar system. In the third book he becomes the unwitting pawn of unknown adversaries, one of whom bears some resemblance to the 37th President of the United States. Name the series, title of the third book, and the planet.

[CaptSolo]

A clue is in order: The author is better known for his voluminous Fantasy series of novels.

[Malacandra]

A clue is in order: The author is better known for his voluminous Fantasy series of novels.

Based on that, I guessed this was the kind of thing Piers Anthony might have written, so Google doesn't quite take all the credit for this one. Bio of a Space Tyrant is the series and volume 3 is Politician. ETA: The planet is Jupiter.

[CaptSolo]

Correct on all counts. I hand the baton back to you, Malacandra.

As I pondered what poser to post, it dawned on me the irony in the book relative to current political events. I am referring, of course, to the Trump presidency. Such a biography would deserve the title, Bio of a Wannabe Tyrant.

[Malacandra]

Okay, an easy one: On what planet will you find bungles, kitchets and khoontzes? Bonus credit for a brief description of each.

[Malacandra]

(makes *book* gesture...)

[ffutures]

Makes Google gesture:

Dar Sai, a fictional planet referenced in author Jack Vance's fourth "Demon Princes" novel, The Face.

Khitchets are young women, used as bait to lure young men to Khoontzes, older fatter women with moustaches. From context I think that bungles are young men of a particular tribe but I'm not 100% sure - and while I do own the book, I didn't enjoy it enough to want to read it again to find out.

[Malacandra]

Makes Google gesture:

Dar Sai, a fictional planet referenced in author Jack Vance's fourth "Demon Princes" novel, The Face.

Khitchets are young women, used as bait to lure young men to Khoontzes, older fatter women with moustaches. From context I think that bungles are young men of a particular tribe but I'm not 100% sure - and while I do own the book, I didn't enjoy it enough to want to read it again to find out.

Blasphemy! I just read the whole series again this past week. Anyway, close enough. "Bungles" are young men, no further qualification needed, old enough to be interested in trying to chase kitchets and inexperienced enough to be caught by khoontzes. Darsh women are usually pretty for about the first ten years after adolescence and after that, not so much, a bit like {invidious real-world comparison here omitted in the interests of good taste}.

Agrippa is all yours!

[ffutures]

I liked the first couple, but by the time I got to The Face I was just not as interested any more.

Okay, another easy one - in this 1950s-60s SF series spaceships are powered by cosmic rays, and alien ships have hulls made of the metal Orichalcum (which legend attributes to Atlantis), which the author believed to be an unknown element. Name the author and one of the books, or the overall title of the series.